WINGING IT: Brown Thrasher  the undercover expert

Friday

Jun 27, 2014 at 1:52 PMJun 27, 2014 at 1:52 PM

By Sue McGrath

Note: Bird sightings return on July 11.The Brown Thrasher is an actor, robed in reddish hue, not in the distinguished gray like the catbird or the mockingbird. As noted in Chris Leahy’s information-packed and engaging resource, "The Birdwatchers’ Companion," the Brown Thrasher doesn’t beat or thrash with its long tail and doesn’t thresh with its long, curved blade of a bill. The bill allows it to forage deep in thickets and last season’s leaf litter by sweeping the detritus and soil away and then pecking, probing and seeking insects, snails, toads, frogs, seed,beetles, fruits and nuts.I watch them intently as they pass in jerky flight along the vegetated edges roadside and take cover. The ruddy hue makes them difficult to see undercover.I smile when I hear their smack call which I liken to a loud kiss — that "tcheh" call note of this mimic. I regularly focus on Brown Thrashers as they cross low over the road at Parker River National Wildlife Refuge. My concern for them heightens when the beach-goers stream to the Refuge’s and Sandy Point’s beaches. I’ve studied them for hours as they fly in and out of the shadbush, serviceberry, shadblow, viburnum and beach plum thickets at this important and renowned birding area. They appear unsettled and uncomfortable in the open; they’re in their element when undercover.The Brown Thrasher has several monikers: Brown Thrush, Eastern Roadrunner, Sandy Mocker, Ferruginous Mockingbird, Planting Bird and Red Mavis.The Brown Thrasher has a slender bill, and the lower mandible has yellow at the base. Its face is gray; its eyes are yellow. Those white wing bars and yellow legs are easy to discern and focus on. Its tail is long, rounded and keel-like. It’s known as a large, boldly patterned, long-tailed skulker that loves the thickets. Both sexes are rich, bright rufous with buff to white underparts with black streaking. The Brown Thrashers are conspicuous due to their large size [9-12 inches]. With a wingspan of 11-13 inches, they are seen well as they dart low, barely undulating, in front of my car. I’ve invested the time watching them dust bathe roadside when I’m heading to Sandy Point.The male Brown Thrasher’s rich, musical and varied song is one of duplicity, a series of long phrases separated by pauses. This mimic has a large song repertoire and is the only thrasher routinely seen in the northeast.By the second or third week in April, the males arrive. Once on territory, the vain male will perch high vertically and announce the breeding season. The male is on territory ahead of the female, and often his song is delayed for a few days.When the female arrives, the male’s song of doubleness begins. Once a mate is secured, the pair limit their movements and begin nest building. The mated male sings a softer song. The female shapes the nest, and both male and female bring in the nest construction supplies — twigs, grapevine, rootlets, grass and dry leaves. The nest is a hefty, dense parfait with many tiers — often four — twigs compose the first tier, then dry leaves, grapevine and paper compose the second tier; the third tier is stems, twig roots with soil; the fourth tier is rootlets without any dirt attached. I’ve watched them beat the roots on the hot, black pavement and shake them to remove the dirt. The nest’s outside diameter measures 12 inches; the inside diameter is 3-4 inches; the inside depth is 1 inch.Often the nests are in thorny shrubs below 12 feet; but most often they are at 2-7 feet. I found an active nest on the ground once. Two to six eggs that are white to pale blue with faint to heavy speckles and muddy brown markings are laid. The Brown Thrasher is aggressive around the nest like a highly skilled defenseman on the "Atlanta Thrashers"...The nestlings are helpless with downy tufts; they fledge between 10 to 14 days, earlier than Gray Catbirds and Northern Mockingbirds. The male has charge of the fledglings, affording the female the opportunity to produce two to three clutches. If there isn’t a second or third brood, the pair divide the care of the fledglings, sometimes moving the young to separate areas.Newburyport Birders: Observe ~ Appreciate ~ Identify Read Sue McGrath’s blog at http://nbptbirders.blogspot.com/ or catch up on Twitter: @ nbpt_birders You can report your sightings to Newburyport Birders at newburyportbirders.com or by calling 978-204-2976.